Masquerade
by MillaMayhem
Summary: Jenna/Ella. Caught up in the heat of a dance, Ella frees Jenna from both lonliness and seemingly her blindness by giving her sight of beautiful things.


Ella Montgomery decended down the short steps and into the venue for Rosewood highschool's charity masquerade. Tonight was a night where she needn't be one of the parents selling drinks or food or even monitering games. Tonight, she was simply there as a teacher and a mother to supervise the event and run carpool if Aria required it.

"Ella?" Ashley Marin smiled as she called the brunette woman to her.

"Hey Ash." Ella smiled as she removed her mask momentarily.

"I love, love, love your costume." Ashley smiled as she fingered the deep purple silk of Ella's dress.

"Thanks." Ella laughed.

"You haven't seen Aria have you?" Ella asked as she gazed around the venue.

"Um, no. Not since she took off with Hanna to go find Spencer."

"Thanks Ash." Ella smiled as she patted her friend on the shoulder before placing her mask back on and moving swiftly through the dancers on the floor.

...

Jenna sat on a seat off to the side of the dancers. Toby had left her to go find Spencer and ask her to dance. It was one thing for Jenna to not see any of the beauty that she was sure surrounded her, but another to be all alone on a night she was sure she'd enjoy.

She listened intently to the things surrounding her. The laughs of a girl no more than a metre away, heavy footfall passing her by, the sound of Toby who had obviously found Spencer, and the clicking of heels on the dancefloor.

Jenna sighed.

...

Ella frustratedly brushed a falling curl from her face that had fallen over her mask. She couldn't believe that she'd allowed Aria to curl her hair. Ella felt a right fool getting so dressed up for an event that was meant to be an enjoyment for the kids.

"Hey, mrs Montgomery." A soft voice smiled as Ella was tapped upon the shoulder.

"Hi Emily." Ella smiled at the blue dressed girl.

"Are you having fun?" Ella asked her.

"Yeah, but you haven't seen the girls have you? I can only find Spencer..." The girl frowned.

"Oh, um..." Ella began as she quickly looked around the room.

"No sweetheart, I can't find Aria either."

"Oh, well no problem mrs M. I'll see you later." Emily smiled as she left.

Ella sighed. She'd wanted to find Aria to see if she was still staying at Spencer's after the dance.

As she patted down the front of her dress sub-conciously, Ella began to stroll around the room. She passed Spencer Hastings and Toby Cavenaugh as they kissed passionatly.

...

It'd been almost an hour on Jenna's count. Maybe time was just dragging slowly seeing as not one person had spoken to her since Toby had left. She'd long stopped listening to the sounds of happy people around her. Now, she merely tried to fight off the tears that felt warm in her eyes. The one advantage of the sunglasses that she now wore. No one could see her cry.

As Jenna brushed away the tears from her cheeks and tried not to schmere her make up she heard heels coming softly towards her.

"Jenna?" A soft voice asked.

Jenna sniffed again and quickly tried to regain her composure as she sat up and faced the direction of the voice she had just heard.

"Aria?" She whispered.

"Um, no sweetheart. It's her mom. Ella Montgomery." The woman said as Jenna heard the sound of sliding fabric.

"Oh, I'm sorry. You two sound a little alike." Jenna whispered, feeling stupid.

For a moment as Jenna focused so that when Ella spoke again she could distinguish it from all the background noise, nothing was said.

A warm hand upon her own slightly startled the girl before Ella spoke again.

"Are you okay sweetheart? You don't look like you're having much fun." Ella whispered to the darker haired girl.

Jenna was silent.

...

Ella could sense a change in the young girl as she asked of her well being.

"Jenna?" She asked softly.

Jenna remained silent but tears slowly leaked into sight as the girl sniffled softly and covered her face with her hands.

"Oh sweetheart. What's wrong?" Ella asked as her hand moved to the girls bare back.

Jenna sniffled a little more and tried to bat away the tears. Ella could tell the girl felt silly and vulnerable.

"Come on sweetheart. I'll take you to the bathroom. You can get cleaned up and maybe calm down and tell me what's wrong. Okay?" Ella said softly as she stood.

"Oh...okay." Jenna sniffled.

Ella began to walk towards the bathrooms when Jenna called her back.

"Um... miss Montgomery?" The girl called.

"Toby has my cane..." She whispered.

Ella turned back feeling utterly stupid before approaching the girl again.

"It's okay Jenna." She smiled.

"Take my arm."

Ella gave her arm to Jenna who wound her arm around the older womans as they stood. Slowly Ella guided the girl through the crowd and to the bathrooms. Nobody even noticed them.

...

"Just in here" Ella said as she guided Jenna through the bathrooms door and to stand in front of the mirror.

"I'm going to let go now. Don't move." Ella said softly as she slid her arm from the girls.

Jenna's arm was instantly colder at the loss of contact. She stood still as mrs Montgomery had asked. Soon the sound of scrunching paper and running water filled her ears.

"May I help you?" Ella asked the girl as she approached her again.

Jenna could feel the womans breath coming only a few centimetres away and fought the urge to shiver a little.

"Okay." She breathed.

Ella's hand reached up gently to hold the girls shoulder. She could feel the girl tense but put it down to surprise. Her other hand held some carefully folded and damp paper towel that she brought to the girls cheek softly as she wiped away some of the mascara that had run.

"Do you mind?" Ella asked cautiously as her hands reached up to Jenna's sunglasses.

Jenna hesitated a moment, unsure of what to say. Ella was being so kind to her. Kinder to her than anyone had been in a long time.

Ella gently began to remove the girls sunglasses as she waited for a no. When it did not come she removed them fully and placed them on the sinks edge. When she turned back however, she was pleasantly surprised.

...

"Your eyes." Ella almost whispered.

"They're green."

For a moment Jenna was silent, unsure of what to say again.

"They're beautiful." Ella smiled.

"Thank you." Jenna hesitated.

"They're not too good for seeing with though." She almost laughed.

Ella wasn't quite sure of what to say and so reached her hands up again to grasp the girls face and wipe Jenna's smudged eyes as gently as she could.  
"You never told me why you were upset." Ella said casually as she continued to wipe the girls face.

Jenna turned her head away from the woman, feeling embaressed.

"It's silly." She said.

As Ella went to speak, the girl continued.

"I feel so alone... all the time. Since the accident everyone's treated me like this... this disease!" The girl exclaimed frustrated.

"And so I push people away and I say spiteful things because they do the same to me. I... I just wanted to come here tonight and be taken away from me. Instead Toby left me to go find that... that girl." Jenna sniffled.

"Spencer." Ella said automatically.

Jenna turned back to Ella.

"I just wanted to dance. I wanted to enjoy this like every other girl wanted to." Jenna whispered as a tear fell from her cheek.

Without hesitation Ella wiped the tear from the girls cheek with the pad of her thumb.

"I have an idea." Ella smiled as she placed the sunglasses back upon the girls face.

...

Jenna felt strange. A tingling feeling as mrs Montgomery's thumb had wiped away her tear.

"Wha... what's your idea?" Jenna asked as she tried to distract her self from that feeling.

"I know it may not be exactly what you had in mind but..." Ella began as she moved her hand to Jenna's shoulder and almost traced the strap of the girls short, black dress.

"I will dance with you. Somewhere away from all those teenagers that aren't worth your time. I will describe to you everything I see so that you can see it too."

Jenna found herself smiling lightly at the womans kindness.

"Thank you." She whispered.

Ella smiled and wound her arm around the girls before leading her from the bathroom. Jenna felt her steps carefuly. She heard the clicks of paired heels, assumingly mrs Montgomery's and her own, as they walked slowly side by side.

"There are 3 steps down once I open this door." She said softly.

As the door creaked open Jenna instantly felt a cold chill on her arms and the goosebumps rising upon her light skin.

"Ready?" Ella asked.

"Yes." Jenna replied.

"One... two... three." Ella said slowly as she guided Jenna down each step.

"Where are we going?" Jenna asked.

"You'll see." Ella replied before she could stop herself.

Jenna could feel the woman tense and so squeezed her arm reassuringly.

"It's okay. You said you would help me to see it." Jenna smiled.

Ella relaxed again and found herself squeezing back.

...

As the pair descended through the cold night air Ella helped Jenna up four more steps before guiding her to the centre of a gazebo.

"We're here." She said.

"What do you see?" Jenna asked softly.

"I see..." Ella began, trying to choose her words carefuly.

"A garden. We are in a garden."

"Are there flowers?" Jenna asked.

"Yes." Ella replied.

"It's very dark. They look like roses from here. Dark red ones."

Jenna was silent.

"We're standing in a wooden gazebo. The wood is light and slightly damp. It must have rained earlier..." Ella said almost absentmindedly.

"It did. I heard it." Jenna interjected.

Ella smiled and moved her hands to the girls shoulders before moving her so that they were facing.

"There is a small stone pathway that we walked along to get here." Ella continued.

"There isn't much light. Only around this gazebo. There are fairy lights. Do you remember them?" Ella asked.

Jenna smiled.

"Yes. I used to keep some in my room before we moved to Rosewood. They reminded me of stars. Are there stars mrs Montgomery?"

"Ella." She said quickly.

"Are there stars Ella?" Jenna repeated smoothly.

"Yes. There are lots of them. Almost like the sky is filled with lights." Ella whispered.

...

Jenna felt strange being so close to Ella. Almost like she shouldn't be. But she was captivated by imagining the things around them. Toby never took the time to describe things for her anymore.

"Your dress?" Jenna asked.

Ella was momentarily confused before she realised what Jenna was referring to.

"It's dark purple silk. Like the deepest shade of purple that comes in a pencil packet." Ella said.

"And your mask?"

Ella breathed in slightly rough and questioned what she was doing.

"Also purple. With feathers. They're quite troublesome actually." Ella finished laughing.

Jenna laughed slightly too. Moments of silence passed as the two merely stood. Then, Ella remembered the girls earlier sadness.

"Jenna?" She asked.

"Yes?"

"Would you like to dance?" Ella smiled.

Jenna hesitated before smiling and offering her hand to the older woman. The silence continued as Ella shakily placed one of Jenna's hands on her waist and took the other in her own before doing the same. She could feel how cold Jenna's skin was against her own and instantly felt irresponsible for bringing the girl out here. In an effort to keep her warm she pulled Jenna closer. The interaction was completely innapropriote.

"What do I do?" Jenna asked nervously.

Drawn from her thoughts, Ella shook her head slightly.

"I'll follow." She said.

"You lead. You can do it." Ella assured.

Jenna hesitantly and a little clumsily began to move her feet before they began to gain a steady rhythm.

After moments of dancing in silence Ella found herself speaking of her own accord.

"What do you hear?" She whispered.

"The sound of our shoes against wood." Jenna replied without hesitation.

"I hear crickets chirping in the garden, people talking inside. Not what they're saying though. I can hear music." She continued.

Ella found herself smiling.

"And..." Jenna began before stopping her movements entirely.

"And?" Ella asked softly as she frowned slightly.

"And I can hear the sound of your breath." Jenna almost whispered as her cheeks grew warm.

Ella was slightly taken off guard. She was breathing quite heavily. However, for how fast her heart was beating now she was sure it was a lot worse.

"I'm sorry..." Jenna said as she tried to look away.

Ella, without words, took the girls cheek in her hands. For a moment she just gazed at the girl. Then, as if of its own accord, her body moved closer to Jenna's and gripped the girls waist a little firmer before moving her lips almost to Jenna's.

...

Jenna had felt Ella's movements and found herself almost complimenting them. Jenna broke the distance between them and took Ella's lips in a soft kiss as her hand found it's way to the womans neck. The kiss was warm. It was sweet. Sweeter than anything Jenna could remember. After moments they broke apart; only the sound of heavy breathing between them.

"Ella?" Jenna whispered after a few moments.

Ella was silent. Jenna was silent to. For a while, nothing more was said. Then, as if not by will of her own, Ella spoke.

"I'm sorry Jenna. I... I shouldn't have done that... I didn't mean to..."

Before Ella could finish she found Jenna's soft lips once again pressed to her own. As much as she willed herself to pull away she found that she could not. Instead she released herself into the kiss as Jenna's cold and slender fingers wound their way around her neck. In turn, Ella's hands entwined themselves into Jenna's dark chocolate waves.

"Jenna..." Ella whispered as she broke the kiss.

"Don't say it." Jenna almost pleaded as she pulled her face away from Ella's.

"If you say it it exists again..." She whispered.

Ella felt stupid. She knew exactly what the girl was talking about. Her husband, her son, her daughter, the fact that she was a teacher at Rosewood. Ella clenched one of her fists slightly in frustration before looking towards the girl who's beautiful feature's had turned almost... sad. She knew she would be lying to herself if she said she hadn't felt the same tingling feeling she knew Jenna had. Ella bit her lip as she stared at the girl.

"Jenna?" Ella whispered as she moved close to the girl again.

The fabric of their dresses created a soft ruffling noise as Ella took Jenna's chin in her fingers. A split second passed where Ella stared at the girl before she kissed her again. She felt the heaviness of Jenna's breathing as the girls chest moved up and down against her own.

...

Jenna leaned into the kiss gently, almost afraid that Ella, this place... this feeling would all disappear just as her sight had. Jenna's hands wound themself around Ella's neck both for support and to pull the woman to her. In turn she felt Ella's hands slide down to her hips as her thumbs rubbed circles through the black silk of Jenna's above-knee-length dress.

"Mmm..." Jenna found herself almost moan into the kiss as she pressed herself to Ella.

Ella pulled the girl tighter against her, revelling in the feeling it gave her. Jenna's body was growing warm against her in the cold night air. Ella's eyes snapped open as she began to pull away from a less than willing Jenna.

"We can't do this... not here..." Ella whispered as her hand cradled the girls cheek.

Jenna merely nodded.

"Where do you want to go?" Ella smiled cheekily as she caressed Jenna's cheek.

"Toby isn't coming home tonight..." Jenna whispered invitingly.

Ella found herself smiling at the girl.

"Take my arm." Ella said softly as she allowed Jenna to entwine their arms together.

"Don't forget the steps." Ella said as they began walking down them.

Jenna had clearly taken notice of their path to the gazebo and so took the steps with grace. Ella didn't particularly fancy sneaking through the dancers with Jenna and so began to guide Jenna into the car park. When they reached her car Ella held open the door for Jenna and just as she sat down the door was shut and Ella was practically skipping to the other side so that she could drive.

...

Jenna listened intensly to the sounds around her. She heard Ella open her door and slide into the car, the sound of her shoes being removed. She heard a couple fighting in the car park, and then, as they drove away the low rumble of the engine filled her ears as they made it to the road. She felt the tingling anticipation rise inside her and hoped that Ella wouldn't take long to reach the house that she shared with her step brother, Toby Cavenaugh, since their parents had left.

Ella's heart was pounding in her chest. What was she doing? This was wrong... so wrong but she wanted it. So badly. The silence that filled the car felt almost like screams. All Ella could hear was the pounding of her own chest and Jenna's soft and steady breathing. Why was the girl so calm? Ella asked herself as she stole a glance at Jenna. Did she do this often? Ella shook her head. She hoped not. It was dangerous. _She _was dangerous.

As they pulled up at the curb Jenna took a sharp intake of breath before she felt Ella's soft hand against her bare thigh.

"Are you sure you want to do this sweetheart?" Ella asked her, the parental side coming out.

Jenna turned to her and for a moment the woman thought she would say no.

"Yes." Jenna said simply.

Ella's heart almost fluttered at the relief from hearing the girl say yes.

"Wait a second." Ella said as she stepped out of the car and shut the door.

Jenna listened as her door was opened and Ella offered Jenna her arm. Jenna took it and wound herself around the woman. The girls dark chocolate tresses felt soft against Ella's shoulder as Jenna nuzzled her head into the older woman as they walked.

"There are steps..." Ella began as Jenna had already begun to climb them.

"I know." She smiled.

"I have memorised the distance in steps from everything in the house." Jenna said almost triumphantly as she knelt down and reached under the doormat for the spare key before preceeding to open the door to hers and Toby's home.

"Follow me." Jenna whispered with a smirk as she offered Ella her slender hand.

Ella took the girls hand readily and followed her inside, shutting the door behind her.

...

Ella was guided into a room lit only by the soft glow of a lamp. She could see shelves lined with a few brail books, some snow globes and a desk scattered with an assortment of objects. She only turned when she felt Jenna's hand slide from hers. When she turned she saw Jenna sitting on the bed with a slight smile as she removed her shiny black shoes. Ella smiled at the girl before approaching her slowly and pushing her down upon the bed so that they were straddling. Ella hesitated slowly as she went to slide off Jenna's glasses.

"I want to see your eyes." She whispered to Jenna as she slowly removed them and placed them to the side.

Then Ella leant down and kissed Jenna softly as the girls hands were felt sliding up the fabric of her purple silk dress.

"I wish I could see you..." Jenna whispered sadly as she broke the kiss.

Ella began to stand, pulling Jenna up with her.

"If you could see me, you would not want me." Ella replied truthfuly.

Jenna frowned and Ella looked to the girls deep green eyes.

"You're beautiful." Ella said as she wound her arms around Jenna's neck.

Jenna smiled and blushed slightly.

"I'm sure you do to. In fact, I do remember you." Jenna stated matter-of-factly.

Ella merely smiled. Here was a sixteen year old girl telling her, a woman in her mid-thirties, how beautiful she was when she wouldn't even see. Somehow the compliment felt more true than when her husband, a man who could see, said it.

"Are you okay?" Jenna asked after a period of silence between them.

"Yes." Ella said.

Jenna leaned into the woman and found her lips as they met passionatly. Ella revelled into the kiss as her tongue sooned entertwined itself with Jenna's as each listened to the sound of the others beating heart. As Jenna felt Ella relax she guided Ella's hands to the zip at the back of her dress before returning her hands to the womans hips. She felt Ella's momentary hesitation before the cool air of her room sent shivers down her now bare spine. Ella pulled back as she stared appreciativly at how Jenna's dress clung to her curves before slowly sliding her hands down the straps of Jenna's dress so that the girl stepped out of it. Underneath revealed a pale skinned girl with equally black bra and panties.

...

Jenna felt Ella's warm fingers slide against her hips and sub conciously moved closer to the woman. Then, the touch disappeared. Jenna listened intently as she heard first the zip of a dress, then the fabric sliding to the floor and Ella's steady steps back towards her. Jenna's hands cautiously searched in front of her to grasp Ella's body. Ella's guided the girls hands to her slim hips. After two children she was the first to admit that her body wasn't what it used to be but Jenna let a smile flicker across her lips that put the woman at ease. As Jenna's slender fingers slid easily up the length of Ella's body the older woman's knees felt like they would colapse beneath her.

"Are you okay?" Jenna asked again in a whisper as her hands found Ella's shoulders and drew small shapes upon them.

"Better than I have been in a long time." Ella smiled as she pulled Jenna closer to her and leaned in for another kiss.

As Jenna's lips were captured by the woman yet again she slid her hands to the womans breast and caressed it softly, allowing the woman to let out a short moan.

"Jenna..." The woman breathed as she began to kiss her way down Jenna's neck.

Jenna's head fell back in the feelings that Ella caused her body to feel. She soon found herself tangling her fingers in the womans ribbon tied curls. As Ella kissed her way down and between the valley of Jenna's breasts, Jenna's fingers pulled her hair free so that the loose curls fell around Ella's face. In turn Ella smiled and reached around to un-clasp Jenna's bra which fell to the floor causing Jenna to gasp as her nipples peaked.

"Ella!" Jenna exclaimed as the womand warm mouth encircled one of her nipples and her tongue swirled around the peak.

Ella's tongue flicked at each of the girls nipples in turn as she began to push the girl steadily back against the bed so that she lay upon it. Jenna's breathing was ragged and heavy as Ella continued to kiss down the length of her body. From the valley of her milky breasts to the inside of Jenna's tingling thigh before sliding softly over the girl and capturing her lips as her finger hooked beneath the girls underwear band. Ella's finger traced the girls hips as she lay upon Jenna, kissing her softly but with determination as the girl became warm beneath her. Within no time at all Jenna's hands were feeling along Ella's back so that she may unhook the womans bra. Ella felt the hooks detatch and so broke the kiss and sat up to remove her the bra as Jenna stared almost blankly in front of her, unable to see.

...

Ella's tongue entangled with Jenna's as their bare breasts pressed together and Ella's hand once again hooked under Jenna's underwear while the other supported her above the girl. As Jenna's hands reached down to Ella's wrist, Ella became almost panic stricken until she found that the girl was encouraging her rather than stopping her. And so, Ella's hand slid under the girls underwear and found a few soft curls before she found the girls wet folds. Slowly and cautiously, giving Jenna plenty of time to stop her, she slid a finger into Jenna who promptly tightened and gasped at the contact before sub-conciously pressing herself towards Ella. Ella obliged by sliding in another finger before beginning to slide her fingers in and out of the girl who was now bucking in rhythm.

"Ella..." The girl almost sighed as her head lolled to the side.

A fine sheen of cool sweat covered both women, in the dim light of the room they seemed to almost sparkle. Ella's soft curls, broken loose by Jenna, hung around her smiling face; only just brushing Jenna's chest. Ella leant down and kissed the girl again as she began to quicken her pace making the girl gasp beneath her as she contracted around Ella's fingers. The kiss was broken so that Jenna could breath properly and so as Jenna's head lolled to the side Ella's breath came hot against her cheek as she gazed at her hand sliding in and out of the girl faster and faster until Jenna began to push herself into Ella faster and Ella's name began to escape from her lips.

"Ella!" Jenna gasped as Ella made one final thrust and captured Jenna's lips in hers as she felt Jenna's body limpen and relax beneath her.

...

As both women lay beside eachother in a warm embrace the older of them stare intently at the darkness clouding the roof. She was unsure of what had really taken place. All she knew was that as the girl fell softly asleep in her arms she didn't want to leave her tonight. And so, Ella stayed with Jenna. That night, Jenna saw for the first time since she had been blinded. With Ella as her eyes, she could see beauty again.


End file.
